Swimming jacket



Feb. 2, 1932. A. TUBIOLO 1,843,527

SWIMMING JACKET Filed Jan. 17, 1930 gmwntoz The jacket is preferably formed of soft flex- Patented Feb. 2, 1932 i i V i UNITED STATES ATE'NT OFFICE ANTHONY TUBIOLO, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO SWIMMING JACKET Application filed January 17, 1930. Serial No. 421,521.

This invention relates to improvements in vided with openings for the neck and arms. inflatable garments adapted particularly to In this connection use is made of two layers be Worn by swimmers and when in use will of material, the numeral 2 representing the serve to assist in supporting the wearer in outer layer and the numeral 3 the inner layer 5 a swimming position in the water for an inof the material of which the jacket is com- 55 definite period. posed. The layers2 and 3 are joined at the It is the primary object of the present 111- edges or contour of-the garment or any of vention to provide an inflatable garment or its apertures by vulcanizing or cementing the swimming jacket which may be readily apedges of the layers so as to produce within plied to the body of the wearer and wherein the garment an air receiving compartment. 60

the garment is of such construction that it This compartment is preferbly divided into may be adjusted to snugly fit the wearer so three independent sections by joining the rubas to provide for free and unobstructed body ber sheets at the sides of the garment as inclimovement on the part of the user. cated at 4 in Figure 2 of the drawings. Thus 2: Another object lies in the provision of a the back side of the garment forms one air 05 garment of this character wherein the upper receiving section and the front 6 thereof, due portions of the garment overlying the sh'oulto the separable front edges 7 of the garment, der of the wearer are so formed that the garforms the other two air receiving sections. ment may be adjusted in length, if desired, Air may be blown into these sections by means and also adjusted to properly fit the shape of valve tubes 8 communicatin with each of or type of neck and shoulders of the user. the air sections and arrange at the lower A further object Of the invention resides edges 9 and between the innerand outer layin forming a garment of this nature with ers 2 and 3. By positioning the valve inlets several inflated sections which are wholly disb t th layers the same will be protected 2.3 t nct and independent from each -other,.s0 as from injury and will be out of the way during to avoid deflation of the entire member upon the use of the garment. Access to the valves the puncture or rupture of any one section. is had through rubber flapslt) covering the With these and other objects in VieW the opening of the pockets in which the tubes are invention consists in the novel features of conpositioned. I 4 v H v i so struction, combination ofelements and ar- Each of the front and rear sectionsof the '80 rangement of parts hereinafter described and garment may be formed with verticall claimed, reference being had to the accomranged seams joints 11 by uleanizing 01' panying drawings in which: cementing together the two layers of material.

Figure 1 is a front GlGVatiOD Of t e gill The seams 11 which are spaced from each 35 ment comprising the present invention, other form air receiving flutes or corrugations 85 Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, 12 which, due to their vertical arrangement, 3 is a h01'iZOI 1ta1 Sectional View taken offer diminished resistance to the free move on the hne of and ment of the swimmer when positioned in a v a.

. Figufe 4 s a detail View Q more body of water. It will be noted by referring 1n detall the shoulder strap ad ustment of to the drawingsthat the Seams 11 Dining the the garme 1 1 t d upper edges of the garment are spaced from Refernng more palm-cu m y tile mW the lower edges 9, thus providing passages numeral 2 g f Z lmrgovted 13 wh h connect i l of he flutes of each of armen o-ace lnlsenlre.

swlmmmb b I J y said sections. Due to the seams 11 the gar- Us ible rubber sheets but may of course be made 1S F y lelnfm'ced t Prevented of any suitable water-tight and air-tight 1na- H0111 lging out at any one point and by terial. The jacket may be cut in any desired the equal distrlbutlon of air to substantially shape so that it will properly fit around the all parts of the garment the user may occupy upper portion of the human body, and is prothe customary horizontal position employed um by swimmers when engaging in swimming operations.

The present invention refers particularly to the construction of the upper portion of the garment and wherein the garment or jacket is so formed that it will snugly fit around the neck and arms of the user and also may beadjusted to jacketllengthand to conform with the shape of the neck and shoulders of the wearer. To this end, the portions 14 which are adaptedto overlie the-shoulders of the user of the garment and which portions may be called the shoulderstraps, are each formed separable and have their meeting ends overlying each other a distance to the front and back of the shoulders. The shoulder straps 14, which are preferably formed and cut from the material'froni which the'garment ismade, are provided with fastening straps 15 and buckles 16 vof'common construction, by whichthe overlying portions 14 may be adjusted so as to enlarge or con tractthe armsand neck opening of the garment or to increase or decrease'the effective length of the jacket or garment. It will be noted that each of the shoulder straps :14, which are of considerable width, is provided with two fastening straps arranged along the outer and inner edges of the shoulder straps '14, the purpose of the two straps being that the inner edges nearest the neck opening or the outer edges of the portion 14 may be drawn up more or less soas to fit square or slanting shoulders as the case maybe. This adjustment is highly essential in that it permits the garment to closely conform with the upper body portions of the wearer giving the garment a neat and well fitting appearance. It will be understood that either buckles and straps or snap fasteners may be used to effect this adjustment.

In order to form a better fit of the garment around the arm openings and particularly the lower portion thereof, the shoulder straps 14 are slit a distance longitudinally thereof and a wedge shaped section removed from each end of the strap indicated by the spacing of the edges 18, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. The edges 18, are provided with eyelets 19 through Which are trained lacing cords 20 and by which the edges are drawn together into meeting relationship as illustrated inyl igure 1 and at the left of'Fi-gure 4. The drawing of the edges 18 together results in the rolling of the edge portions 17 inwardly towards the body of the user of the garment and thereby eliminates the sharp edge which would have a tendency to interfere with the free arm movement and cause uncomfort to the user. To prevent shifting of the garment during the use thereof, there is provided in the interior a belt 21 which may be adjusted by means of the fastening buckle 22 to securely hold the garment in place. The separable front edges 7 are also provided with buttons or snap fasteners 23 permitting the garment to be applied and removed and when in its applied position serves to securely and firmly hold the garment in its applied position on the body of the wearer.

In view of the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a garment or swimming jacket which will closely fit the body of the wearer and which will be so constructed that when inflated it will retain the-outline onconiiguration of the wearer so that it will not interfere, to any great extent, with'the'normal swimming movements of the user. The garment may be quickly applied or-removed and possesses a substantial and durable construction well adapted forthe strenuous service to which it is placed. The device not only aids the siwmmer but'findsa great field of usefulness in diminishing loss of life due to drowning and related causes.

While I have described and illustrated what I consider to be the preferred form of the invention, nevertheless it will be understood-that various changes may be made from time to time by'those skilled in the art with out departing from the principles and spirit of the invention as the latter has been set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A swimming acket adapted to be worn about the body of the wearer and detachably fastened thereto, said jacket being formed of waterproof material and provided internallywith an airreceiving compartment, said jacket being formed with arm holes through which the arms of the wearer project, straps formed with said jacket and adapted to overlie the shoulders of the wearer, said straps being cut longitudinal- 1y thereof a distance extending down the front and back of the jacket and a portion of the material removed therefrom, and means formed with the opposite edges of the opening formed by the removal of the material to draw said edges together whereb the lower edges of the arm holes will be rolled inwardly towards the body of the wearer.

2. A swimming jacket adapted to be worn about the body of the wearer and detachably fastened thereto, said jacket being formed of waterproof material and provided internally with an air receiving compartment, said jacket being formed with holes through which the arms of the wearer project, straps formed with said jacket and adapted to overlie the shoulders of the wearer, said straps being divided transversely and centrally thereof and cut longitudinally thereof a distance extending down the front and back of the jacket and a portion of the material removed therefrom, the portion removed from each part of said straps being of triangular hape, and means formed with the opposite edges formed by the removal of the material to draw said edges together whereby the lower edges of the armholes will be rolled inwardly towards the body of the wearer.

3. A swimming jacket adapted to be worn about the body of the wearer and detachably fastened thereto, said jacketbeing formed of waterproof material and provided internally with an air receiving compartment, said jacket being formed with holes through which the arms of the wearer project, straps formed with said jacket and adapted to overlie the shoulders of the wearer, said straps being out longitudinally thereof a distance substantially the full length of said straps and a portion of the material removed therefrom, and adjustable means formed with the opposite edges of the opening formed by the removal of the material to draw said edges together to vary the effective width of said straps.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

ANTHONY TUBIOLO. 

